1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates primarily to dispensing apparatuses and especially those that are used in post-mix beverage dispensers and to valves that can control and mix a specific established ratio of syrup and soda.
2) Description of the Prior Art
Post-mix beverage dispensers control the flow and mixing of two or more liquids. Generally, one liquid is non-viscous such as water which is saturated with carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) and the other liquid is a concentrate, such as a flavored syrup. The dispenser delivers the liquids into a container with the liquids mixing to comprise the beverage that is to be contained. Ideally, the dispensing of the liquids is to be accomplished rapidly and at the proper mixture ratio.
The primary use of such post-mix beverage dispensers has been in the fast food environment. The clerk that is dispensing the beverage places a cup or glass in association with the beverage dispenser at which time the beverage dispenser is activated thereby dispensing the separate liquids into a cup or glass producing the resulting beverage. It is important for the clerk to achieve the dispensed beverage as quickly as possible, thereby permitting the clerk to serve as many people in the shortest amount of time. It is important that each time the clerk activates the dispenser that a consistent correct ratio of the soda to the syrup is dispensed. In the past, fast acting valves, usually electrical solenoids, control the flow of the syrup and the soda through separate conduits which are designed to open simultaneously into a dispensing nozzle and hence from the dispensing nozzle into the cup or glass. In the past flow regulators for both the soda and the syrup has been utilized to maintain a fixed ratio between the syrup and the soda. However, in the past these flow regulators quickly begin to vary from the preestablished ratio, resulting in an incorrect ratio between the soda and the syrup being dispensed. As a result the post-mix dispensers of the prior art require frequent recalibration to have these dispensers dispense the correct preestablished volume of soda to the preestablished volume of syrup.
In the past volumetric ratio valves have also been utilized. However, these volumetric ratio valves require valving solenoids, electronic sensors, and microswitches in order to achieve the necessary switching for the solenoids. Such volumetric ratio valves in the past have proven to be quite costly, as well as placing heavy duty requirements on the solenoids as such must energize and deenergize the mainstream soda flow and syrup flow. All parts of such volumetric ratio valves of the prior art are designed to be at the syrup input pressure at all times which places added requirements and costs upon these volumetric ratio valves.